HONOLULU – Youmin Hwang won the Lotte Championship on Saturday in his first victory at the LPGA Tour event.
The fans, a Korean LPGA member on the field at the sponsor’s invitation, birded five of the last four holes and five of the last six at Breezy Hoa Kalay Country Club for a one-shot victory over 5-under 67 and Hyo Joo Kim.
“Thanks to Lotte’s support, I’m here to win,” the fan said.
As a non-member of the LPGA Tour, the 22-year-old fan has the option to accept immediate membership or postpone it to next season. The two-time KLPGA winners won the sixth career LPGA start and fourth place in the season. This comes after weekend cuts at the US Women’s Open, KPMG Women’s PGA and Evian Championship.
After a par-4 birdie, Kim and Minami Katsu were taken to lead with him, and fans took a break when Katsu and Kim each bogeyed the back group holes. On the par 5 18th, fans pushed her second shot into a rough runny through the green and fell apart in her legs.
The fans finished at 271 under 17. She shot her career-best 62 on Thursday, opening a three-stroke lead and scored 75 on Friday to second place.
Kim birded on the 18th with a 68.
Katsu was 69 years old and third in 15.
Second-rank Nelly Korda was closed at 69 and finished three backs with 17 at Payun Chien (70), Jessica Polvasnik (70) and Pond (71). Away from seven seasons, Korda hasn’t won this year.
“Overall, I’m putting myself in the fight,” Korda said. “It’s definitely an interesting year in the end, but at the end of the day, I’m 100% giving it and controlling what I can control, so I’m happy with it.”
The LPGA Tour is currently heading to Asia for the tournament for the fifth consecutive week in Shanghai, Korea, Malaysia and Japan.